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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. file — a tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. saw — the tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. dip — to sink
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. saw — the tool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com